We are making our first trip to Japan in mid December, staying for a week. Based on the reviews here, Hyatt seems to be the consistent choice for travelers to Tokyo (unless things are any better at the MO now?) two questions:

1) Is it the Grand Hyatt or Park Hyatt that is the more highly rated? Both seem to be in good locations for dining, shopping and simply walking around. We won't be doing too much in terms of nightlife etc as our daughters are only 7 & 4 but we will most likely go to Disney sea which seems readily accessible from either property.

2) Our group will be two adults and two children (7 & 4) are rooms spacious enough that we can get by with one room or are we better off booking a suite?

3) Is it worth hiring a guide (or using one of the free services available) for a day or two or is the city generally "gaijin" friendly as far as getting around :)

Thanks for any advice! ^

This issue has been discussed extensively in the Hyatt forum -- which will only help you if search is working!

Park Hyatt "Park Deluxe" rooms generally have two queen size beds in them, same as the suites, so if the hotel allows the kids to share the room with you, they'd fit in the Park Deluxe with you if you like all that togetherness! The room is big enough, 40sqmt or larger.

There are one or two daily busses directly to Disney from the Shinjuku Washington hotel IIRC and that bus stop is only about 200 yds from the PH. However, there's lots of other ways to get to Disney using the Tokyo transport system so that needn't be a huge factor in your decision.

1) Is it the Grand Hyatt or Park Hyatt that is the more highly rated? Both seem to be in good locations for dining, shopping and simply walking around. We won't be doing too much in terms of nightlife etc as our daughters are only 7 & 4 but we will most likely go to Disney sea which seems readily accessible from either property.


Park is the hotel of legendary ratings, and is probably going to be more adult-oriented than the Grand, esp. considering the location. The Park's location in Shinjuku is a great jumping-off point for transit (I think I heard somewhere that Shinjuku Station is the busiest rail station in the world), but other than that, there's little in its local area that your children will be interested in. The Grand in Roppongi Hills isn't exactly child oriented, but there's much more in that area to do & see just by walking around than in Shinjuku. I've never stayed at the Grand, so I don't know what its like, but the area is definitely more vibrant than Shinjuku.


3) Is it worth hiring a guide (or using one of the free services available) for a day or two or is the city generally "gaijin" friendly as far as getting around :)


The country is very gaijin friendly for getting around. All the rail stations have signs in English, and the Japan National Travel Org does a good job of providing English maps & brochures. But don't count on locals running up to you to offer you their help in English; that's a bit of a myth. People WILL help you - don't get me wrong, but they might not be as warm and eager as some may think they are.

IMHO, I think you'd be fine to roam the city yourself, although I must say that it appears you could have a challenge on your hands, with a 4 yo and a 7 yo. If they are anything like certain children I know ;) of similar ages, their interests may be divergent to the point of one being bored while the other is excited, and vice versa. Oh, and then there are your interests.

FWIW, we've found that taking along our nanny is a great way to travel with our 2 yo. Everybody is happy that way, us and our little one, as well as the nanny, who gets to go places she otherwise wouldn't get to go. (I realize not everyone can do this, but thought I'd share in case it might apply to you or another reader. Oh, and we usually turn in miles for the nanny's ticket (intl) or use one of the ubiquitous 'airline companion tickets' for the nanny domestically.)

Hope this helps. Have fun!

We are making our first trip to Japan in mid December, staying for a week. Based on the reviews here, Hyatt seems to be the consistent choice for travelers to Tokyo (unless things are any better at the MO now?)

Since Hilton is in your profile, the Conrad might be a good choice for you. It seems to be very well regarded by FTers (unlike the MO, which appears to have a few flaws). Conrad has better access to Narita Airport and Disney. The immediate vicinity of the hotel has plenty of restaurants but the "skyscraper-city" atmosphere is somewhat "sterile" for my taste.... But the Ginza is in walking distance.

If convenience of transport is a big factor, and since you're looking at that end of the market, then you might consider the Four Seasons Marunouchi. It's at the Southern end of Tokyo Station. Very easy access to Disney and to Narita. The Tokyo Station area is a business district rather than an entertainment area - but there are tons of places to eat in and around the station and (again) Yurakucho and Ginza are a short walk away.

two questions:

3) Is it worth hiring a guide (or using one of the free services available) for a day or two or is the city generally "gaijin" friendly as far as getting around :)


Sorry, you're only allowed two questions.... Haha. :D

IMHO - You can easily get around with a guide book and a spirit of adventure. Actually, you can do without the guidebook if you have a spirit of adventure (and you can manage without the spirit of adventure if you have a guidebook).

RichardInSF Thanks for the info, I should have known that the Hyatt forum would have the answer. The consensus seems to be Park over Grand, well at least most of the time, for service and amenities :)

CALfly5 Although Park seems the better of the two, it looks like the area around the Grand may be be better for us ,especially for walking around during the day. Thanks for your suggestions

jib71 You are correct, as a Hilton Diamond I was initially going to book the Conrad, but the reviews here, and in the luxury hotel forum, favored both Park and Grand Hyatt over all the others so I'm trying to decide between the two. Even though I have no status at Hyatt, I'm hoping that booking through Amex Platinum will give me some extra benefit in upgrades etc.

forget the hyatts.
the conrad is the way to go.

:D

hyatt will not do anything in december for you even if you book through amex platinum as thats the best business time of the year for the hotels.

they can sell it at double the normal price.


dp

another hint,

if you have children i would book a hotel in the odaiba area.
there are more attractions which are nice for children.


about the conrad, there are two sides of the hotel.
one side give you a wonderful view on the hamarikyu side, with rainbrow bridge view. the other side lets you only view the nice Shiseido tower :).

so you have to book the right side , to get a wonderful view.
dp

1) Is it the Grand Hyatt or Park Hyatt that is the more highly rated? Both seem to be in good locations for dining, shopping and simply walking around.
I've been to Tokyo a couple of times, and my daughter lived there and worked for the government. The only time I ever felt a bit unsafe in Tokyo was walking in the area of the Park Hyatt at night. Not that it's unsafe, it's just dark and appeared abandoned.

3) Is it worth hiring a guide (or using one of the free services available) for a day or two or is the city generally "gaijin" friendly as far as getting around :)

Please see post 18 in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=551191&page=2
Which shows the current price of a guide in Tokyo booked through JTB. (Japan Tourist Board)

I suggest getting a good guidebook (Time Out Tokyo is recommended and has a whole section on family orientated attractions) and forgetting about a guide.

if you have children i would book a hotel in the odaiba area.

Well maybe... but if I were keen to visit O-Daiba, I think the Conrad would still be an excellent choice. It is immediately adjacent to the Yurikamome line which will whisk you to O-Daiba in about 15 mins.

(I realize, DP that you already know this...)

No suites available at either Conrad or Grand Hyatt for our travel dates in December (19th through the 25th). Conrad is adamant that we would have to get two rooms in order to accommodate two adults and two children (7 & 4) at a rate of 57,000 yen for each room for a total of 684,000 yen for our stay. Grand Hyatt has a "family plan" available, i.e. connecting rooms with a discount for the second/children's room; rate is 35,000 yen for the adult room for 4 nights and goes to 55,000 for the last two 2 nights. the children's room rate is 21,000 yen for all nights so the total for our stay would be 376,000 yen at the grand Hyatt. Making the Grand Hyatt 308,000 yen less than the Conrad Hilton for our six night stay I guess its the Grand Hyatt for us :)

That two room offer is a deal for the GH, grab it! Then ask when you check in if they will give you a room NOT facing the (very) adjacent Mori building. Probably not since you don't have status with Hyatt, but it doesn't hurt to ask.